A Brazilian model is suing a California hotel and its parent company, Hilton Worldwide, saying she was ravaged by bedbugs during her stay there — and that the resulting bites left her with physical and psychological scars that have affected her ability to do her job, according to a lawsuit filed in Riverside County Superior Court this month.The woman, Sabrina Jales St. Pierre, has modeled for brands like Victoria's Secret, Versace, Ralph Lauren and Valentino. The allegedly troubled five-day hotel stay took place at the Palm Desert Embassy Suites in Palm Desert two years ago.St. Pierre says she was left with bites and welts covering her chest, arms, torso, legs and feet, inducing an allergic reaction and causing her to lose months of modeling work because of the unsightly marks."The bed bugs latched onto the plaintiff while she slept, sucked her blood until they were gorged, and resisted eradication," the complaint said."Eventually she was massacred by bites covering pretty much her entire body," her attorney, Brian Virag of My Bed Bug Lawyer, Inc. told the Desert Sun.The suit contends the hotel chain failed to regularly inspect rooms and make sure they were habitable despite being experienced managers of hotel properties. It also claims conditions in the hotel violate the California Health and Safety Code.Because of the bug bites, St. Pierre alleges she's lost out on income in excess of $25,000, according to the suit.The consequences of the bites included "sleeplessness, inconvenience, humiliation, grief, anxiety and other symptoms," her lawyer alleged.The hotel's general manager, Carlos Mendoza, told the Sun that an inspection by hotel staff and a second one by an outside pest control company found no evidence of bed bugs."Now we have to go through the lawsuit to defend the reputation of the hotel," he said.

Palm Desert, Calif. —

A Brazilian model is suing a California hotel and its parent company, Hilton Worldwide, saying she was ravaged by bedbugs during her stay there — and that the resulting bites left her with physical and psychological scars that have affected her ability to do her job, according to a lawsuit filed in Riverside County Superior Court this month.

The woman, Sabrina Jales St. Pierre, has modeled for brands like Victoria's Secret, Versace, Ralph Lauren and Valentino. The allegedly troubled five-day hotel stay took place at the Palm Desert Embassy Suites in Palm Desert two years ago.

Advertisement

St. Pierre says she was left with bites and welts covering her chest, arms, torso, legs and feet, inducing an allergic reaction and causing her to lose months of modeling work because of the unsightly marks.

"The bed bugs latched onto the plaintiff while she slept, sucked her blood until they were gorged, and resisted eradication," the complaint said.

"Eventually she was massacred by bites covering pretty much her entire body," her attorney, Brian Virag of My Bed Bug Lawyer, Inc. told the Desert Sun.

The suit contends the hotel chain failed to regularly inspect rooms and make sure they were habitable despite being experienced managers of hotel properties. It also claims conditions in the hotel violate the California Health and Safety Code.

Because of the bug bites, St. Pierre alleges she's lost out on income in excess of $25,000, according to the suit.

The consequences of the bites included "sleeplessness, inconvenience, humiliation, grief, anxiety and other symptoms," her lawyer alleged.

The hotel's general manager, Carlos Mendoza, told the Sun that an inspection by hotel staff and a second one by an outside pest control company found no evidence of bed bugs.

"Now we have to go through the lawsuit to defend the reputation of the hotel," he said.